objects around them. Men must be reasoned into opinions & whatever is not the effect of reason & judgment is not rational faith or intellectual persuasion.
And when we take a weiw of the faith or religion of the commons in any country, what is in it that deserves the name of rational? Is there any understanding or judgment connected with <it>? Are they the wiser or the more knowing for it? Or can their understandings indeed be said to be better furnished by all the Cathe<c>heticks which they have learned by rott? They are indeed early taught to hear & repeat certain awfull mysterious sounds with the profoundest reverence, and to look on others as the language of Devils & most incensing to heaven. But do they understand what they say or have they ever examined the meaning & intent of the sounds which they blindly worship? Men whose intrest lies at the stake may talk as bigly as they please of the diffusive light & knowledge which in these most illuminated times prevails even among the lowest herd of mankind by the happy dispensation <5> in which they are cheif. But there is no man that ever conversed with the Catechumans or innitiated pupills of any sect or exaimined any of the various systems of modern Theology so widely different among them selves but will clearly see that it is impossible for any of the commoner sort of mankind, who have not been tutored in metaphysical universities to understand one single article of all that from their earlyest times they have been inured to revere as most holy & divine. For my own part I have made the experiment in many instances & still it held. And it can not indeed be otherwise unless there may be knowledge & distinct perception without clear ideas; or clear ideas without the necessary means of attaining them.
The circumstances of mankind do not make slavery and misery necessary to any sort of men but the circumstances of mankind make it necessary that there be different degrees & conditions of men. And as it would be
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impossible to make distinct clearheaded scholars of several of these degrees of men especialy the lowest & labouring sort: so neither does their happiness require, but rather forbid it. And therefore I have ever thought schemes of doctrine to propagate principles of deep & abstruse divinity through all sorts of people, to say no worse of them, owing to a very unaccountable ignorance of the humane nature & the circumstances of mankind. It is true indeed the motives upon which these constitutions are framed pretend to look beyond this life & to take their rise from higher & nobler ends than any of the temporal intrests <6> of humane society. And indeed the souls of men & their eternal salvation are by far of greater moment than all the litle concerns of this brittle state: and to mind this life only would be a policy too narrow & confined considering the immortal nature of our better part. But can it be to fit us for heaven & eternal felicity, that such pains are taken to learn us our metaphysical cathechism by heart? Is it to prepare us for the society of angels & spirits of the most refined natures that we are sermonised so often with such venerable awfull overbearing mysteriousness about things tho we could understand them would neither make us wiser nor better; And that we must learn to repeat like parrots so many hard bewildring distinctions & divisions of persons properties subsistences essentialities coessentialities & the Lord knows what? If it is so we are most exceedingly beholden for this extroardinary & dissenterested charity for our souls. But we wou’d be much more so if our reverend tutors could let us see, if it be not among the things inuterable & that cannot yet be understood, how such a discipline can make us more ready for heaven & a state of happyness & perfection: Whither at our first entrance upon that hereafter life we are to be catechised by rott & to get our eternal assig<n>ments according to the strength of our memories & the darkness of our understandings; or if we are to have our chance as we have lucked upon the scheme of favourite or odious terms. Or what indeed is the rule by which we are to be tried & what connection there is between this parrot tutorage & the favour of a wise being; or happiness in a thinking or rational state. If they would but condescend thus far to <7> instruct us in the reasonableness of their soul:policy; we might all perhaps rest satisfied with their authority and become most humble & submissive pupills. But
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as for those whose misfortune it has been once to have begun to think a litle for themselves they must till these knotty questions are solved remain in a very indifferent opinion either of their design or of the heaven & Diety they have in wiew. For how any sort of constitution that never makes men the more wiser or the more knowing should be of use to recomend us to the favour & approbation of the best & wisest beings hereafter: Or why in any good and reasonable goverment persons shou’d be preferred honoured or rewarded according to any other rule than their temper disposition or ability to serve & to do good are things those will never be able to digest who have ever exercised their reasons so far as to have formed just notions of goodness & wisdom just & unjust.
Thus, my Freind, it is pretty evident that the attempting to instruct the lower herd of mankind which ever will be the greater part in dark & intricate systems of atributes, predestinations, imputations, & satisfactions is of no use either with regard to this present or any future life. And for this reason the bussiness of goverment is not to provide for that sort of catechetick and instruction: but to encourage learning & true philosophy by all proper methods & constitutions that so there may be the best means of adwancing all the fine arts & sciences, & of educating such a convenient number in all the useful parts of knowledge as may be fit to serve the publick in these spheres <8> of life which require such a preparatory institution.
It is indeed necessary to the publick happiness to have a sort of publick instructers: but then their business must be not to explain upon any particular system of speculations; but to instruct in the principles & offices of honesty & vertue. That lectures of this moral sort may be adjusted to all capacities is plain from experience which afoords many instances of a much better understanding in morals among the illiterate part of mankind than those who of late years have been tutored in universities & instructed in school philosophy as it is called. And that these lectures would be of publick use is very evident; good morals being the only necessary basis of society & the publick happiness. but as for schemes of divinity or philosophy different creeds and persuasions the nature of society does not require that the publick instructers should have any further medling with them than to recomend peace & love to all sectories, as the cheif & only thing necessary; as that which is agreeable above all things to the supreme being & that alone
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can entitle to his favour either here or hereafter. And if this was the publick religion to enculcate universal love and charity it would be the Protectrix of Philosophy liberty politeness & honest morals. Nor would any freedom that cou’d in the least promote the happiness of society or the entrests of vertue and reason be in the least restrained by it. <9>
’Tis true the beleif of a God cou’d not according to this scheme be publickly impugned & so far some may think the Philosophical licence wou’d be cramped. But what harm this confinement wou’d do I cannot see as much a lover of the reasoning liberty as I am. For if there were no other publick fetters upon philosophy than this there wou’d be sufficient place for free disquisitions of that sort in private closets. And in the mean time the belief of a principle the most reasonable as well as confortable in it self wou’d be applyed not as a meer political tool to base and mean ends; but to purposes truly worthy of it the encouragment of vertue & philosophick liberty & the repressing of a malign unsocial persecuting spirit. And thus the best of principles would be made the Patroness of the best of constitutions; & produce the most happy & beneficial fruits. But while other religious tests are framed, particular creeds pick’d out, and all nonconforming schemes marked with odium, & given over by publick authority to holy violence & fury it is impossible that ever <10> true piety or real religion can be promoted. But on the contrary a false superstitious zeal must do more mischeif to mankind than can possibly arise from any other cause.
It is needless to insist upon the horrible ravage & havock that false
